Controlling means for multiple-section sliding doors.



H. G. VOIGHT.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOB. MULTIPLE SECTION SLIDING DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1913.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. s an 0., WASHINGTON D C H. G. VOIGHT. CONTROLLING MEANS FOR MULTIPLE SECTION SLIDING DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1913.

1,085,072. Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

un/ Muses 5 wuwwtoz I M g. WIGHT COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHIN|.TION. n, c

H. G. VOIGHT.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR MULTIPLE SECTION SLIDING DOORS.

APPLIUATION FILED-JUNE 25, 1913.

\ Patented J an. 20, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

HENRY G. ITOIGI-II, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR MULTIPLE-SECTION SLIDING DOORS.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Gr. Vororrr, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, Hartford county, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Means for Multiple-Section Sliding Doors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved construction of controlling means for multiple section sliding doors which provides operating means for the several sections designed to move said sections so as to reach fully opened position and so as to reach fully closed position substantially simultaneously. At the same time the construction provides means for effecting the opening operation with a minimum expenditure of power, and also means whereby the door sections are locked against opening movement from the outside when they are closed and whereby they may be readily opened from the inside.

These and other advantages will be readily apparent from the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof and illustrating a preferable embodiment of this device.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of a multiple section sliding door structure equipped with the operating means of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the rear door section and its casing together with its operating connection. Fig. 2- is a fragmentary top plan view of the operating rock shaft and its connections. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a. front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2 Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation illustrating the locking device. Fig. 5 is a view in edge elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail in rear elevation of the controlling and locking handle, detached. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4-. Figs. 811 inclusive are views of details of construction.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1, 2 and 3 denote respectively the front, middle and rear sections of a three-section sliding door structure.

4; designates the stationary casing and 5 a side wall thereof or other stationary abutment. Secured to this abutment 5 by any Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 25, 1913.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914:.

Serial No. 775,646.

suitable means are horizontal alined brackets 6 and 7, the former being bifurcated and a rock shaft 8 being journaled in these brackets. An angle arm 9 is fixedly secured at one end to the rock shaft 8 within the bifurcation of the bracket 6, and at its other end is pivotally secured to the piston rod 10 of a power cylinder 11 whose lower end is pivotally attached by means of an arm 12 to a bracket 13 suitably secured to a stationary abutment, such as the wall 5. This power cylinder 11 is preferably the type employing a piston and piston rod with a power spring acting against the piston. In the present instance the power spring tends to move the piston rod downwardly to oscillate the rock shaft in a counter clockwise direction.

The sliding door sections 1, 2 and 3 are, of course, suitably supported and mounted to slide in the door casing. Secured to the rear edge of each door section is a channel plate 14 extending vertically of each door edge and having its outer edges turned inwardly to retain within said channel plate and within the channels formed by its inturned edges, complemental rollers 15 journaled in one end of a link 16 whose rear end 17 is apertured for connection to the controlling means to be hereinafter described. This controlling means is preferably arranged as follows: An arm 18 is fixedly secured at its rear end to the rock shaft 8 to swing with the oscillation of said shaft. Intermediate its ends it is provided with a fixed collar 19 having projecting from opposite sides there of pins 20 and 21. The forward end of this controlling arm 18 is provided with a bifurcated enlargement 22 between which is pivotally mounted the outer end 17 of the link member 16 guiding in the channel plate 14 secured to the rear edge of door section 2. The pin 23 which secures this link end to the bifurcated end 22 of arm 18 likewise serves to secure said arm end and latching plate 2 1 whose forward edge rests against and is maintained in the same plane by the rear edge of door section 2. The lower end of this latching plate is provided with a hook 25 which serves in conjunction with the operating handle hereinafter described to lock the door sections against opening movement.

Journaled on the end of pin 21 carried by the arm 18 is the rear end of a second arm 26 which arm is pivoted intermediate its ends as at 27 on a bracket 28 fixedly secured to the rear edge of the intermediate door traveling at different speeds.

section 2. The end 17 of link 16, which is carried by the rear edge of the rear door section 3, is journaled on the opposite pin 20 carried by this arm 18. The forward end of this second arm 26 is bifurcated as at 29 and is pivotally secured to the rear end 17 of the link 16, having a sliding engagement with the channel plate carried by the rear edge of the forward door section 1.

The various door sections in moving to and from closed position will of necessity have to travel at differential speeds in order to reach fully opened and fully closed positions substantially simultaneously. It will be noted that the connections hereinbefore described provide such a differential speed. The greatest speed is, of course, imparted to the forward door section as it has the greatest span of movement, and this is secured in the present case by reason of the length of the compound lever connection between the rear edge of door section 1 and the rock shaft 8. The length of the controlling arm 18 between the rear edge of the intermediate door section 2 and the rock shaft is still less, but is figured to bring the first and second door sections to fully opened and closed positions at substantially the same time but The same is true of the rear door section 3 connected to the arm 18 intermediate its ends, the ratios of these arms being figured as before mentioned to provide a differential speed with a substantially simultaneous arrival at fully opened and closed positions.

In the opening operation, movement is first imparted to the intermediate door section 2, which movement will start all three of the door sections moving rearwardly but at different speeds. It will be noted that when the arm 18' swings by reason of the rearward movement of the intermediate door section 2, it swings upwardly, and that the second arm 26 by reason of its connection with the first arm and by reason of the fact that it fulcrums on the rear end of the intermediate door section, will move its forward end downwardly, the pivotal connection 27 thereof with the second door section forming a moving fulcrum. As the intermediate door section moves rearwardly at less speed than the forward door section, the latter will move swiftly at first and then, because of the relatively slower speed of the intermediate door section, the vertical distance between the fulcrum point 27 of arm 26 and its forward end 16 will decrease, thereby slowing down the speed of this door section but increasing the power t-hereagainst through arm 26 with the increased resistance offered by the compression of the closer spring, which compression takes place when the door sections are opening and the rock shaft 8 oscillated in a clockwise direction.

The rearward movement of door section 2 will slide the forward end of its arm 18 upwardly in the channel plate and through the sliding connection of this arm 18 with the rear edge of the rear door section 3, will slide said rear door section toward open position simultaneously with the rearward movement of the first two door sections, but because of the short length of the arm 18 between the door section 3 and its rock shaft, at a substantially less speed. When the rearward pressure against'the second door section is removed, the power of the closing mechanism, in this instance the compressed spring of the power cylinder 11, will, through arm 9, oscillate the rock shaft 8 in a counter clockwise direction, swinging the arm" 18 downwardly to return the second and third door sections to their initial closed position, and through the connection of arm 26 with arm 18, moving the forward end of arm 26 upwardly and moving the forward door section to closed position. The ratio of movement ofthe various door sect-ions 011 this closing movement is substantially the same as on the opening movement and the will, by reason of this ratio, reach their fully closed positions substantially simultaneously.

I prefer to provide means which will not only afford a convenient operating handle, but'at the same time will provide a means for locking the door sections in closed position against opening movement from the exterior of the door casing, but operable from the interior, as by the operator of the elevator car, to readilymove the sections to open position. To this end an operating handle 30 is pivoted at its lower end on the bracket 28 and is provided at its upper end with a latching hook 81 designed to cooperate with the hook 25 of the latching plate 24 carried by the forward end of arm 18 at the rear edge of door section 2. For convenient manipulation, the handle is provided with an offset 30 Adjacent its upper hooked end a lug 32 extends from its rear face. A bracket 33 is fixed to the rear face of door section 2 and carries a headed pin 34 rigidly attached thereto. The lug 32 is apertured to guide on this pin between its head and its bracket, and a coiled spring 35 inserted between the head 34; and the lug 32 normally tends to hold the lug against the bracket. \Vhen the door sections are in closed position, these hooked parts 25 and 81 occupy the positions shown in Figs. 1 and at. hen the door sections are moved to open position, the operator first grasps the handle 30 and moves it relatively to the door and against the spring 35 until the lug 32 and spring 35 are stopped by the head of the stud 34:. This movement is figured to be suflicient to draw the hook 31 from engagement with the hook 25 and further pull on the operating handle will be directly against the door section 2 and will mo e this door section rearwardly, the end of arm 18 sliding upwardly in its channel plate 14, and the latch plate 2st moving vertically upward with the end of said arm but in the same plane owing to the fact that its forward edge is guided upon the rear edge of door section 2 (see Fig. 7 The door opening and closing operation of the arms 18 and 26 has already been described.

When the door sections move toward closed position, the forward end of the arm 18 and the latch plate 24 will move clownwardly until the hooked end 25 of the latch plate strikes against the rounded upper edge of the hooked end 31 of the controlling handle. The handle being movable relatively to the door, will be sprung outwardly by the engagement of the hooked end 25 therewith until said hooked end has passed beyond the lower edge of the hook 31, whereupon the spring 35 will snap the same back into looking engagement with the latch plate. It will be evident from this that upward movement of the controlling arm 18 cannot take place until the latch plate 2st is released, and this can only be done from the inner side of the door. The door sections are locked, therefore, against opening movement from the exterior.

The levers formed by the arms 18 and 26 with their attached parts provide a sufliciently great leverage against the power mechanism to enable door opening operation to be manually accomplished with a minimum expenditure of energy and yet permit a rapid return of the door sections to closed position by said power mechanism.

While I have herein described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will, of course, be understood that the same may be modified in structure and in relative arrangement of parts without departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

\Vhat I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Controlling means for multiple section sliding doors comprising an arm pivotally secured adjacent one end to a stationary abutment and arranged for sliding engage ment adjacent its other end with one of said plurality of door sections, and a second arm pivotally connected adjacent one end to said first arm intermediate its ends and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with another of said door sections.

2. Controlling means for multiple section sliding doors comprising an arm pivotally secured adjacent one end to a stationary abutment and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with one of said plurality of door sections, a second arm pivotally connected adjacent one end to said first arm intermediate its ends and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with another of said door sections, and power mechanism in operative connection with said first arm and normally tending to swing the same in a direction to move said door sections.

8. Controlling means for multiple section sliding doors comprising an arm pivotally secured adjacent one end to a stationary abutment and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with one of said plurality of door sections, a second arm pivotally connected adjacent one end to said first arm intermediate its ends and arranged i'or sliding engagement adjacent its other end with another of said door sections, an operating handle carried by one of said door sections, and a locking device controlled by said handle and coacting with one of said arms to hold the same agamst movement and to thereby lock said door sections in closed position.

4:. Controlling means for multiple section sliding doors comprising an arm pivotally secured adjacent one end to a stationary abutment and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with one of said plurality of door sections, a second arm piv otally connected ad acent one end to said first arm intermediate its ends and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with another of said door sections, an operating handle carried by one of said door sect-ions, a locking device controlled by said handle and coacting with one of said arms to hold the same against movement and to thereby lock said door sections in closed position, and power mechanism in operative connection with said first arm and normally tending to swing the same in a direction to move said door sections to closed position.

5. Controlling means for three-section sliding doors comprising an arm pivotally secured adjacent one end to a stationary abutment and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with the intermediate door section, operative connections between said arm and the rear door section, and a second arm fulcruming on said intermediate door section and pivotally connected to said first arm adjacent one end, said second arm being arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with the forward door section.

6. Controlling means for three-section sliding doors comprising an arm pivotally secured adjacent one end to a stationary abutment and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with the intermediate door section, operative connections between said arm and the rear door section, a second arm fulcruming on said intermediate door section and pivotally connected to said first arm adjacent one end, said second arm being arranged for sliding 611- gagement adjacent its other end with the forward door section, an operating handle carried by and movable relative to said intermediate door section, and a locking device controlled by said handle and cooperating with said first arm to hold the same against movement to thereby lock said door sections in closed position.

7. Controlling means for three section sliding doors comprising an arm pivotall y secured adjacent one end to a stationary abutment and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with the intermediate door section, slidingconnections between the rear door section and said arm at a point intermediate its ends, a second arm fulcrumed intermediate its ends on said intermediate door section and having its rear end pivotally secured to said first arm intermediate its ends and its forward end arranged for sliding engagement with the forward door section, an operating handle carried by and having a limited free movement relative to the intermediate door section, and a locking device controlled thereby and coacting with said first arm to lock said arm against movement to thereby lock said door sections in closed position.

8. Controlling means for three-section sliding doors comprising an arm pivotally secured adjacent one end to a stationary abutment and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with the intermediate door section, sliding connections be tween the rear door section and said arm at a point intermediate its ends, a second arm fulc rumed intermediate its end on said intermediate door section and having its rear end pivotally secured to said first arm intermediate its ends and its forward end arranged for sliding engagement with the forward door section, an operating handle carried by and having a limited free movement relative to the intermediate door section, a locking device controlled thereby and coacting with said first arm to lock said arm against movement to thereby lock said door sections in closed position, and power mechanism in operative connection with said first arm adjacent its rear pivoted end normally tending to swing said arm in a direction to move said door sections to closed position.

9. Controlling means for multiple section sliding doors comprising an arm pivotally secured adjacent one end to a stationary abutment and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with one of said plurality of door sections, a second arm pivotally connected adjacent one end to said first arm intermediate its ends and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with another of said door sections, an operating handle carried by and having a limited free movement relative to said first named door section, and cooperating locking means controlled by said handle and arm and arranged to hold said arm against movement to thereby lock said door sections closed, said handle being arranged when moved relative to its door section to release said arm whereby said door sections may be moved to open position.

10. Controlling means for multiple section sliding doors comprising an arm pivotally secured adjacent one end to a stationary abutment and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with one of said plurality of door sections, a second arm .pivotally connected adjacent one end to said first arm intermediate its ends and arranged for sliding engagement adjacent its other end with another of said door sections, an operating handle carried by and having a limited free movement relative to said first named door section, coiiperating locking means controlled by said handle and arm and arranged to hold said arm against movement to thereby lock said door sections closed, said handle being arranged when moved relative to its door section to release said arm whereby said door sections may be moved to open position, and power mech anism in operative connection with said first arm adjacent its pivoted end and normally tending to swing said arm in a direction to move said door sections to closed position.

HENRY Gr. VOIGHT.

\Vitnesses Gwnnnonmn A. J ACKSON, CHAS. E. RUssnLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

